Join us Friday evenings for entertaining and education programs. Each presentation offers a different subject matter and presenters. Subjects range from historical to personal. Program times and locations may vary. Contact us at 406-377-6256 for more information.
Friday June 14 7:00 pm York’s True Freedom
Join us for this special flag day presentation presented by Makoshika State Park manager, Chris Dantic. Lewis and Clark’s Corps of Discovery had many members, now surrounded by legend and mystery, who were often reflective of the social conditions of the time. One of these characters was a man known only as “York”, and African American slave of William Clark’s who served as a full member of the expedition. This program will be at the Kiwanis Pavilion.
Friday June 21 7:00 pm A Visit with an 1879 American Fur Company Trader
Greg Smith brings to life the adventures and stories of James W. Schulz through the fictitious character of Jim Deakins. This program is brought to you by Humanities Montana through grants from the National Endowment for the Humanities, Montana Cultural Trust, and private donations. This program will be at the Kiwanis Pavilion.
Friday June 28 9:00 pm Bat Talk and Walk
Learn about and see bats of the area with FWP Biologist Brandi Skone. Ms. Skone will give a short presentation on bats found in the area. And then we will take a short hike to see if we can find some of the bats that call this area their home. This program will take place at the Hiatt Amphitheater.
Friday July 5 7:00 pm Leave No Trace
Join Makoshika’s very own Montana State Parks AmeriCorps member, Amber Van Meter, as she talks about the Seven Principles of Leave No Trace. The Seven Principles of Leave no Trace are used to communicate the best available minimum impact guidance for enjoying the outdoors responsibly. This program will take place at the Kiwanis Pavilion.
Friday July 12 7:00 pm Prehistoric Fish of the Yellowstone
Join as Fish Biologist Mat Rugg takes us on a journey through time as he talks about the pallid sturgeon and paddlefish, the prehistoric fish of the Yellowstone River. Pallid Sturgeon is one of the rarest fishes in North America with a unique dinosaur-like appearance and have been swimming around since the dinosaurs. Paddlefish survived from an ancient and primitive group. Paddlefish may be the oldest big game animal surviving in North America. This program will be at the Visitor Center.
Friday July 19 8:30 pm Shadow Puppets
Join us to watch dinosaurs come alive in an interactive shadow theater performance by YOU! Author and illustrator Carmen Neuns will be showing participants the fun and excitement of dinosaurs roaming their native habitat through a traditional shadow theater performance. Participants will be shown how to use the shadow puppets and will then have the opportunity to put on their own performance to share for the audience. This program will be at the Hiatt Amphitheater.
Friday July 26 7:00 pm Skin Boats of the Fur Trade
Join as anthropologist, Billy Maxwell, presents his program on bull boats. A bull boat is a useful small boat, usually made by American Indians and frontiersmen by covering a skeletal wooden frame with a buffalo hide. It was used for raveling and fishing. Lewis and Clark’s Corp o Discovery knew the advantages the light weight, skin covered boats would have during their expedition and had carried the supplies for the construction of sch a boat. This program will be at the Kiwanis Pavilion.
Friday August 2 7:00 pm How Photography Changed My Life
Join Nathan Satran of Nathan Satran Photography will be here to give a presentation about how photography changed his life. He will give a summary of how photography brought him out of depression after the death of his younger sibling and helped him step out of his comfort zone to find new friends and view the world from a new perspective. This program will take place at the visitor center.
Friday August 9 7:00 pm When T-rex Roamed Makoshika
Join us as John Scannella, the John R. Horner Curator of Paleontology at the Museum of the Rockies discusses T-rex and other prehistoric creatures that roamed Makoshika over 66 million years ago. This program will take place at the Pavilion.
